As I grow older, my neuroses become more and more apparent to me. Apparently everyone else has known about them for quite some time.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

because it sounded fun

I was talking about my weekend adventures and I got a good chuckle out of Hot Ironguy's response to my Sunday mileage:

"13 in the morning, and then another 31 in the afternoon?! WOW. What are you training for?"

It made me think...
What am I training for that required so much endurance this weekend...?
um, nothing.I did it because it sounded like fun.And it was fun. mostly.

To clarify:
The running was not fun. Yep, I said it. I am training for a (race) and the running was miserable. I felt sluggish and off pace. Oh wait, I was sluggish and off pace.
The "other stuff" I did this weekend, i.e. the Kona adventures on Buttermilk & Belle Isle, and the Trek adventures on the roads that seemed to cover half of Virginia... well, they were fun.

When I was on the Kona, I felt free. I could do whatever I was capable of, and while that didn't exceed anyone's expectations, I knew there would be no self censure to come with the final results. Whatever speed I did would be enough, and besides, I expect to get dropped on the more technical aspects of the trail. After all, I've only ridden her a handful of times.

As for the Trek... well, that was the first time I've been on the road since Thanksgiving. I almost felt I could do no wrong. almost.

When I was on a bike, I was completely relaxed and enjoying the moment.
When I was on a run, I was not.
Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

I am a runner... right?
I think I need to figure out where my head is at right now so that I can be ready for my spring race. As long as I do the miles, my body will be ready. But my head needs to be here, or the miles are going to suck. a freaking lot.
I never used to struggle to have fun. It used to just happen. Whether I was alone or in a posse, I could find a way to savor the miles of my training plan. That fun was how I knew my place in the world as a galactically bada** runner.

I need to get back to my roots. I need to remember how to relax and just be. Of course, the more I think about it, the less it will happen. By the way, I suspect that's true of a lot of things in life.

This week I'm going to get out with a buddy of mine who does the "fun" part of running better than anyone I know. It'll be like running therapy for my running mojo.

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About GBA GF

I'm a mother of 3 kids, and I stayed at home until they all went to school. A few years ago I decided to go back to college so that I can have a job I actually want instead of a job that I'm "stuck with" due to lack of skills. Now I'm a nurse, working full time, and I love it.
I like to write. I find peace when I draw. I meditate during my swim. I enjoy my ride. I love my run. A freaking lot. (Like a heroin addict loves H.)
I have run a lot of races, and while I'm super proud of the marathon that I finished in Dec '11, I'm equally proud of the 5K I finished in April of '08.
I grew up in Virginia Beach, and people always act like that's a big deal. "Wow, that must have been great". No, not really. It's not like I lived on the beach. I did try surfing once, but only once. Fortunately my nose wasn't broken...
~Savor the Run~

Incase of Emergency - BREAK GLASS

GARMIN FORERUNNER 305 Owners ~ Garmin Non-responsive? "nurse g." just wants to remind you that often a soft reset is as easy as holding the MODE & RESET buttons simultaneously for about 10 seconds. Let go of those two buttons, press the power button, and the unit will turn back on.

Defining GBA**

"...And I smiled to myself as I thought of EXACTLY what I would say when he asked me how I was feeling. I mean here I am.

I’m at frickin mile 23 1/2 of a marathon. I’m crushing my PR. I’m running with my POSSE. I have stopped to (unsuccessfully) vom on the side of the course. Yup. I knew what 2 words I would say.... at mile 24 Q dropped the other group, and I was rewarded for my patience. 'How you doing?' 'Galactically BadA$$'."